Foodie is the New Forty

Austin Bakes for West

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:45:00 +0000

The seemingly-tireless and undisputedly-amazing woman behind Austin Bakes, Kathryn Hutchison, is at it again, this time organizing a city-wide bake sale to benefit Americares' efforts in West, Texas. If you've been looking for an easy and fun way to help the citizens of West, all you have to do is visit one of the eight locations below on Saturday, May 4th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and purchase some of the delicious baked goods that will be donated by both professional and home bakers all over the city. Or, you can give directly to AmeriCares at the Austin Bakes giving page, here.

Want to do more? You can also volunteer to bake or help out with setup, sales, and cleanup on Saturday by signing up here.

I'll be at the Stiles Switch location all day Saturday - hope to see you there!

Getting Lucky at Lucky Robot

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:45:00 +0000

Austin restaurant chain Zen became a sibling a few months ago, when founder Adam Weisberg opened Lucky Robot in the space that formerly housed the South Congress incarnation of Zen. It took me a few months to make it there, but my first meal there was so delightful that I was back again the next day.

Like Zen, Lucky Robot offers Japanese-inspired fare, but the dishes at Lucky Robot feel significantly more special to me than Zen's offerings. The flavors and presentation are much more refined, and the entire experience feels less "fast food-ish" than Zen, without too much of a markup (entrées run from about $8-$13, and the portions are very generous). Ordering is done via iPads on the tables, which is kind of fun, especially since the iPad version of the menu features photos of every dish. Also, the digital menu makes it easy to spot gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and low-calorie items, a feature that those on special diets will appreciate. One minor irritation with the iPad ordering system, though: it does not make it easy to split the ticket amongst multiple parties. Only one credit card can be used per transaction, and you don't get an itemized bill (the former issue is fixable if you ask your server to run the cards).

Wondering what to get? Here's what I've tried:

Brussel sprouts ($4.75). My favorites in town - and I have eaten a lot of brussel sprouts in this town. Tossed in a lemongrass soy. These are on my must-order list for every visit to Lucky Robot.

Karaage Chicken ($8.00). Loads of chicken that's been marinated for 24 hours, then fried. Well-prepared, although I think I'll ask for the sauce on the side next time; as you can see in the photo, it pooled in the bottom of the bowl and made my rice more saucy than I like it.

Bo Ssam ($8.50). Brown sugar-crusted pork belly...need I say more? Just in case the answer is yes, it's served with rice, red leaf lettuce, kim chee, ginger scallions and ssamjang (an amazing, spicy, bean-paste-based sauce that I am determined to recreate at home so I can put it on everything). Snuggle some pork belly up in a lettuce leaf, dress it with whatever of the other ingredients you like (in my case, all of them), roll it up, and go to town. Probably not recommended for a first date. Highly recommended for a tenth date (if s/he minds you eating delicious, messy food, you might as well kick them to the curb).

Rising Sun ($11.00). Probably my favorite of the dishes I've tried here, this cholesterol-bomb features four generous slabs of pork belly, served with a rectangle of grilled rice, crispy shallots & garlic, charred scallion vinaigrette and cilantro, all topped with a gorgeously-runny fried egg. This one is definitely not on the 500 calories or less menu, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who doesn't like fatty meat - the pork belly on this dish is much fattier than the belly served with the Bo Ssam. But if you don't mind giving your arteries a little workout, order this with a side of the ssamjang (from the Bo Ssam dish) and go to town.

Lucky Robot is open 11a-10p Monday through Friday, and 10a-10p Saturday and Sunday. They offer a "Tokyo Brunch" both weekend days that features more typical brunch-ish entrées like eggs and pancakes, but with Asian riffs, like soft-shell crab, sriracha, and matcha green tea whipped cream. Much of their regular menu is available during brunch time, too, so if you'd rather start your day with a pile of pork belly, no one is going to stop you.

More craveworthy, moderately-priced, Asian-inspired fare in Austin? Lucky us.

Lucky Robot
1303 South Congress
Austin, TX 78704

A Blog Birthday and a Smoothie for Allen

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:45:00 +0000

April 13th marked the four-year anniversary of this blog. Writing here has been a wonderful thing for me for so many reasons: it's a fun creative outlet; it's given me tons of photography practice; and it's been the conduit and inspiration for many, many, many wonderful meals. Best of all, though, it's helped me connect with a community of amazing, talented people who share a passion for food and a recognition that few things are as good at bringing people together.

Unfortunately, one member of the Austin food community, Allen Stern of Let's Talk Fitness, passed away earlier this month. I regret that I never met Allen personally, but he was a frequent participant in the private Facebook group for the Austin Food Blogger Alliance, and by all accounts he was energetic, generous, and kind. Allen, who had lost over 125 pounds thanks to improved diet and exercise, was a big proponent of drinking green smoothies for weight loss. As a tribute to Allen, some of his family and friends suggested that folks make a smoothie in his honor and post about it online. So it seemed fitting that to celebrate my blog's birthday, I should toast a green smoothie to a fellow food blogger who left us too soon. Allen, this one is for you.

I learned about this smoothie recipe from my awesome sister-in-law, who posted about it on her blog last month. The original recipe is here. Mine was slightly modified from both, so I'll post my ingredient list here - but the beauty of smoothies is that the recipe is really just to provide inspiration. You can fiddle with it however you like until you've got the perfect blender concoction.

Green Smoothie for Allen
1 frozen banana
1 T peanut butter (I used The Bee's Knees peanut butter, which has some honey added to it - a gift from Peanut Butter & Co. If you don't have any Bee's Knees, you could use regular peanut butter and add honey separately, to taste.)
1/2 c Greek yogurt (I used Fage)
1/4 c milk
Enough spinach to fill the blender to the top (most green smoothie recipes call for baby spinach; I used heirloom spinach from our Tecolote Farm CSA, and it worked great)

Blend and enjoy!

Austin Songkran Festival at Wat Buddhananachat

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:45:00 +0000

Every year, the Thai Buddhist temple in Del Valle, Wat Buddhananachat, throws a big Songkran festival celebrating the Thai New Year. We went a couple of years ago, and it was a super fun and very culturally-interesting experience. Dozens of vendors were making and selling all kinds of Thai food - from Thai fried rice to intestine soup to curries galore, as well as tons of other offerings that were unfamiliar to me, and all of which I wanted to try. I sorely wished I had a spare stomach that day! There's also live music, dancing, and a Miss Songkran beauty pageant. Here are a few photos from when we went:

This year, the festival is on Saturday, April 20th. The festivites go from 10:00 a.m. until midnight. It's family-friendly, entrance is free, and you just have to pay for whatever food you buy. I highly recommend this event for all you Thai food lovers, and for anyone else interested in experiencing a Thai cultural celebration.

Here's the link to the event Facebook page.

Sound Bites: Sarah's Kale Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 12:45:00 +0000

If you'll pardon a little introspection, I feel like I'm getting a little bogged down (blogged down?), here. Part of the problem is that I tend to fill my schedule until it's bursting at the seams, so writing the long, very detailed posts that I'm prone to just isn't happening. Food Photo Friday helped bust that pattern loose a little, but then I got too caught up in finding photos that were worthy. So I'm going to experiment with a new series called "Sound Bites," for when I just have a little something to say (and/or a little time to write).

What better subject for the first of the series than a company whose slogan is "Bite me"? I discovered Sarah's Kale Chips when I won a box of them from a contest that The Austin Bodyworker threw during SXSW. I make kale chips at home fairly frequently, so I wasn't expecting these to be anything different. But they very much were. My homemade kale chips are very light and ethereal - like eating crispy kale air. Sarah's kale chips have some substance to them. They're heartier, if you can really use that word to describe a kale chip. And sometimes when you're snacking, you need that.

The box I got in the contest was Sarah's sour cream and onion flavor. I know what you're thinking: "Sour cream and onion kale chips?!?" That's what I was thinking, too. But the flavor is just right - not at all fakey, and just the thing to make the chips taste more like a snack and less like a health food. The list of ingredients includes cashews, dates, garlic, miso, apple cider vinegar, chives, sea salt, and pepper - so there's no actual sour cream, and vegans can enjoy them, too! I'll have to admit; I don't think I would ever have thought to add those things to kale (particularly the cashews, which I suspect are a big part of what "grounds" the texture of these chips). But the end result certainly works - so well that I feel quite sure I could devour an entire box at one sitting.

Sarah also offers a vegan cheese flavor, which I can't wait to try. Also, if you live in Austin, her website says you can pick up your chips to avoid shipping costs and get a free hug! What are you waiting for?

Guide to Thai-riffic Thai in Austin

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:14:00 +0000

My second post for the 2013 Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide is on Thai food. Thai food is one of my favorite genres of food, and I've long lamented the relative scarcity of outstanding Thai here in Austin. But a few spots stand out as being consistent winners in my book. Read on to find out which Thai restaurants have most curried my f(l)avor.

Sway
I had every intention of getting a full blog post on Sway up before now. I'm pretty sure it's the restaurant I've frequented most since its opening in December of last year (though Épicerie is close behind). I've long been a big fan of executive chef Rene Ortiz and pastry chef Laura Sawicki, the dynamic duo behind La Condesa, though I'll admit I was a little skeptical when I heard they were opening a Thai restaurant, too. Could they really be as good at Thai food as they are at Mexican?

Yes. Yes, they can.

What I love most about Sway is that their dishes are full of flavor, but still taste clean and fresh. Most everything is made from scratch, including their deeply wonderful nam prik pao. My favorite dishes at Sway include the son-in-law, the jungle curry, the tiger cry, the kai yaang, and the salt & pepper tofu. For dessert, the Thai tea affogato or the jasmine tea panna cotta. I still aspire to writing a full-length blog post about this fabulous place, so I'll reserve the long-winded dish descriptions for that day, but here are a couple of photos to whet your appe-Thai-te.

The Son-In-Law - braised pork shoulder, crispy farm egg, thick soy, chili vinegar

Jasmine Tea Panna Cotta - served with coconut-lychee sorbet, red grape, lychee, palm sugar, Thai basil, shiso, and crunchy amaranth

Thai Fresh

This sweet restaurant and coffee bar on West Mary is a favorite of mine for many reasons. I love that they source locally and use humanely-raised meats. I love that the owner, Jam Sanitchat, teaches cooking classes at their store, passing on her passion for cooking and her secrets about her favorite Thai ingredients. And most of all, I love the food. Fresh Thai flavor abounds in every dish (in case you haven't been since they changed things up here, they now cook everything to order - no more reheating out of the cold case!). And you can cool things down afterwards with a scoop of their housemade vegan ice cream. The ice cream flavors are marvelous (everything from mint chip to ginger lemongrass), and you won't for a second miss the dairy.

Spicy Basil Fried Rice

Madam Mam's / Sap's
I'm sure the owners of these two establishments prefer not to be linked to one another anymore (the competing restaurants are the product of the couple's split - she got the two locations that are still Madam Mam's; he turned the south location into Sap's). But it's hard not to link them when they still share a common menu. I'm hard pressed to order anything here other than the Pad Kee Mao (F5)(note that you have to ask for rice noodles or you'll get a version made with spaghetti noodles) or what is basically the rice version of the same dish, Pad Ped Ga-Prao (P8). For an appetizer, I love the Thai rice cakes (Kao Tung / A3).

Pad Kee Mao - wide rice noodles stir-fried with your choice of protein (I always get pork), mushrooms, Thai basil, and Thai peppers

Muangthai
Few people I've told about this strip mall Thai joint wayyyyyyyyy up north near Lakeline Mall have heard of it. Yet, it's one of my favorite Thai places in town, and worth the trip. My very favorite dish here is the Chu Chee (SP4), a fried catfish fillet topped with the most amazing red curry sauce. We usually order the sauce on the side so the fillet stays crispy longer. Also, word to the wise: they are not afraid of heat, here, so we usually request our dishes mild so that the less-heat-loving folks in our group can still eat the food. But if you like it hot, they'll be happy to oblige.

I'll be brutally honest - the service here is frequently overwhelmed and, therefore, often not particularly attentive. The space is nothing fancy. But I've liked all the food I've eaten here, and particularly that fantastic catfish dish.

O' happy red curry day - Chu Chee (fried catfish fillet served with coconut red curry sauce and lime leaves)

What are your favorite Thai places in town? I'm Thai-ing to know - please share in the comments!

A Guide to Upscale Dining in Austin, 2013 Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:40:00 +0000

The Austin Food Blogger Alliance is once again publishing their comprehensive City Guide featuring our members' favorite restaurants in our fair city of Austin. For the fourth year (!!), I'm covering the fine dining beat. This year, I've added a Thai food post, as well.

As with my upscale dining posts from previous years, I've roughly categorized all the restaurants into areas of town, and there's a handy map to help you find something near you. Locally-owned or -operated eateries are so much a part of what makes Austin great that I've chosen to limit my post to restaurants in that category.

View Upscale Dining in Austin - 2013 edition in a larger map

DOWNTOWN (broadly defined here as spanning from I-35 to MoPac,
and from Ladybird Lake to MLK):
Café Josie - Café Josie has undergone a change in ownership since last year, and the menu has been modernized. I haven't been to the restaurant since the new guard took over, but I tried their udon at Wine & Swine and was super impressed. I'm looking forward to visiting the restaurant again soon.

Clark's Oyster Bar - I've only visited the relatively-new Clark's once so far, but thoroughly enjoyed my experience there. I thought the prices were on the steep side for what you get, but I am glad for a spot to add to the short list of locally-owned seafood restaurants.

Congress - Executive Chef David Bull was the first to open an Austin restaurant with all-prix-fixe dining. My blow-by-blow of a meal I had at Congress can be found here. Congress is part of a trilogy of restaurants in the same location - Second is a more casual (but still upscale), order-off-the-menu affair, and Bar Congress connects the two and is a great spot for a cocktail while you're waiting for a table (or a show to start).

Driskill Grill - Fine dining in a beautiful historic hotel. The surrounds will delight the traditionalist in you, but the menu is more modern than you might expect.

La Condesa - It took me a couple visits to hit my sweet spot here, but now I'm a huge fan. Flavorful, interesting Mexican fare in a gorgeous and interesting space. Don't miss the desserts - pastry chef Laura Sawicki is a genius.

Lambert's - Not your father's barbecue. Think pork ribs with a fennel-coriander rub, brisket with a brown sugar & coffee rub, and brussels sprouts with bacon and brown butter.

La Traviata - Their carbonara will make you cry tears of joy. Blog post dedicated to this thing of beauty here.

Parkside - New American fare. If you're dining with someone who wants a more casual meal, send them back to the Parkside's sister restaurant, a pizza joint adjacent to the Parkside and aptly called Backspace (while you eat at Parkside, of course).

Péché - Absinthe bar that also happens to have excellent food and service.

Ranch 616 - Quirky...like Austin. I'm partial to the jalapeno-maize trout, but I don't really think you can go wrong here. Strong cocktails and a nice patio round out the deal.

Swift's Attic - Inventive small plates in a wonderfully steampunkish space.

TRIO - The Four Seasons Hotel is all about exceeding expectations, and its restaurant, TRIO, does just that.

TRACE - In the super-cool W Hotel Austin, TRACE focuses on locally-sourced products and is one of my favorite brunch spots in town.

Wink - Another great spot offering New American fare with a focus on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and an emphasis on personal attention. If you're celebrating a special occasion, let them know; they'll print up special celebratory menus just for you.

JUST EAST OF DOWNTOWN:
Buenos Aires Café - Lovely spot serving up - you guessed it! - Argentinian fare. If you have room for dessert, they've upped the ante with their quatro leches cake.

East Side Cafe - A glimpse into the good old days when Austin was more funky, with a large garden on the premises that sources many of their herbs, decorative garnishes, and some of their veggies.

East Side Show Room - Good, locally-sourced eats in a sumptuously steampunky setting. My blog post about it is here.

Hillside Farmacy - This sweet little place is housed in a building that once was home to a pharmacy, and they've kept many of the accoutrements of the previous occupant intact. Their menu covers everything from raw oysters to ribs, and they've got you covered for every meal - opening at 8a daily and closing at 10 or 11 at night.

Salty Sow - On the casual end of upscale dining, which is one of the things I like about it. I'm a sucker for their triple fried duck fat fries, the truffled deviled eggs, the crispy chicken thighs, and the butterscotch boudino. Also, I love the fact that an entire section of their menu is dedicated to "Things in a Jar."

SOUTH OF THE RIVER (CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN):
Barley Swine - Interesting, innovative fare from a chef with a nose-to-tail philosophy. Be forewarned: I once endured a three-hour wait for a table here; maximize your chances of a shorter wait by arriving with as small a group as possible, either right when they open or late in the evening (they will call you when your table is almost ready, so you can head down the street for a pre-dinner cocktail or two. Or three.)

Lenoir - Like eating at the home of owners Todd and Jessica Duplechan. The concept is simple: any three courses for $35; extra courses are $10. The food is wonderful and the service is exemplary. Don't miss it (and make a reservation - word is out).

Olivia - New American with a focus on locally-sourced ingredients. The open and well-lit space, designed by Austin architect Michael Hsu, is part of its charm. Named one of 2009's Best New Restaurants in America by Bon Appetit.

Paggi House - One of the more romantic spots in Austin; New American in lovely surrounds. Their patio has a great view of the city.

South Congress Cafe - New American in a casual-yet-upscale setting.

Sway - one of my favorite new restaurants from 2012, Sway offers modern Thai dishes that pack a serious flavor punch. It's covered in more detail in my Thai post.

Uchi - Sushi/Japanese fusion. On the higher end of the pricey range, in part due to their small portion sizes. But every bite will be outstanding. My favorite meal of 2011 took place here.

Vespaio - Italian. Reservations only available before 6:30 p.m. M-Th & Sunday - all other times, be prepared for a wait. Its sister restaurant next door, Enoteca Vespaio, also offers delicious food in a more casual atmosphere.

Zax - A bright, laid back spot with a dog-friendly patio that I always enjoy. I have trouble veering away from the shrimp remoulade salad, but whenever I have, it's always been tasty. For those of you with refined bloody Mary palates, be sure to check out their build-your-own bloody Mary bar during brunch.

NORTH OF DOWNTOWN:
The Carillon - One of my very favorite special occasion spots in Austin. Located in the AT&T Conference Center & Hotel on campus, The Carillon could easily be a buffet restaurant in a large, well-funded university. And, in fact, during the day, it is. But at night, it transforms into a fine dining establishment with consistently excellent food.

Olive & June - This Italian restaurant from established Austin chef Shawn Cirkiel is a favorite of mine. I love their Sunday dinners, when they offer a very generous multi-course meal for $35 (children 12 and under are free!), A blog post about my first meal at Olive & June can be found here.

FINO - A wonderful hidden gem that doesn't get as much attention as it deserves. The menu has a Mediterranean/Spanish slant, but there is something here for everyone...everyone with taste buds, that is. Its sister restaurant a couple of miles away, Asti, serves solid Italian fare.

Fonda San Miguel - Interior Mexican in a warm, inviting atmosphere.

Foreign & Domestic - Ned & Jodi Elliott bring with them some serious chef chops, including stints at Thomas Keller's Per Se. Their restaurant is playful and accessible, with a completely open (and tiny) kitchen surrounded by bar seating so you can watch the action while you swoon over your food.

Komê - One of the few sushi places in town where my non-raw-fish-eating husband gets excited about ordering sushi. Both the raw and the cooked offerings here are excellent - and surprisingly affordable (for sushi).

Musashino - As good as it gets in town for old school sushi.

Texas French Bread - This little bakery and café has been around since the early '80s, but just added dinner service within the last few years. It's one of my favorites for a casual but delicious meal. Much of the food is locally sourced, and everything I tried was beautifully prepared. BYOB.

Uchiko - The sister restaurant to Uchi. I've heard their food described as more "masculine" while Uchi's is more "feminine" - I guess my taste buds are hermaphrodites, because I love both spots.

BIT OF A HIKE (North of 183, south of Ben White, West of 360):
Café Malta - Tucked away in a strip mall that also contains a tobacco shop and a Taco Bell, Café Malta definitely qualifies as a hidden gem. To my surprise and delight, they make most everything from scratch, from their pastas to their preserves.

The Grove - A solid offering by experienced Austin restauranteur Reed Clemons - great food and wine + a spacious patio make for a relaxed, enjoyable meal.

Hudson's on the Bend - Specializing in wild game.

Jack Allen's Kitchen - Jack Allen, the founding chef of Z'Tejas, brings a breath of fresh air to an otherwise-barren upscale restaurant landscape, the Oak Hill area. The flavors here are bright, fresh and innovative. Try the Navajo Taco or the trout salad - both are fantastic.

Mikado Ryotei - Not as good as Musashino for straight up, traditional-style sushi, but they've got some really excellent maki here if that's your sushi preference.

North by Northwest - One of the very few non-chain, upscale eateries in the area, it's consistently decent, and they brew their own beer. 'nuff said.

Soleil - Finally, a restaurant with a great view of Lake Travis and good food. The sunsets here are not to be missed.

Did I miss your favorite spot for a fancy meal? Leave me a comment!

Austin Sweets for your Sweetie

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 13:45:00 +0000

That most sugar-coated of Hallmark holidays draws near once again. If you're looking for a local sweet treat for someone you love (and no, it doesn't have to be someone other than you - you love yourself, right?!?), here's a guide to a few of my favorite Austin-made confections.

1. Frosted sugar cookies from Curious Confections

I was lucky enough to win a dozen of these Curious Confections frosted sugar cookies from Melissa over at Red White and Blueberries when she celebrated her 2000th Facebook fan. Aren't they beautiful? And they're as delicious as they are pretty; nice and soft (as all cookies should be), and the frosting is delicate and not too sweet.

2. Macarons from Macarons by Jane

You should pretty much ignore this lame photo and go check out Jane's website. Not only is she a talented baker, but she's also an excellent photographer (oh, and she's gorgeous and weighs about 70 lbs, all of which make me want to hate her, except she's much too sweet for that). I first discovered Jane's macarons at a bake sale for Austin Bakes for Japan. I was so enamored with the first bag I bought that I hurried to another location and bought more.

3. Brigadeiros from b.o.m. bakery

Brigadeiros are Brazilian candies, somewhat similar to truffles only they're more gooey in texture. They contain sweetened, condensed milk - one of my favorite ingredients - and are the perfect size to satisfy a sweet craving. My friend Barbara sent a box of these to my office on my birthday last year - they were such a lovely surprise!

4. Chocolates from Delysia

Not all chocolates are created equal. Delysia's are, as far as I can tell, perfect. Intriguing flavor profiles engage your taste buds (everything from five-spice to prickly pear, bourbon to earl grey) and modern graphics ensure the treats are as fun to look at as they are to eat.

What's your favorite Austin-made confection?

You Put Your Sriracha In My...

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 13:45:00 +0000

I feel like I'm getting better at bumbling around in the kitchen, making stuff up.

I kept seeing blog posts about popcorn with sriracha on it (like this one) or with honey on it (like this one), and suddenly today I thought - why not both?

So I whacked off a hunk of butter, dipped a spoon of honey, squirted a generous stream of sriracha, and put them all in a pan together until they melted into a swirl of titillating aroma. Poured the stuff onto some air-popped popcorn. Salted liberally. And congratulated myself.

Sriracha Honey Butter Popcorn. Eat it and weep.

Salty. Spicy. Sweet. So freaking delicious that I kept having to tell myself to slow the hell down or I was going to choke myself.

In the spirit of my friend Christian over at Austin Food Journal, who steadfastly refuses to share recipe quantities (even when asked nicely), I'm leaving the measuring up to your tastebuds. Want it sweeter? Add more honey. More zing? More sriracha. With just three ingredients, I know you can handle it.

Pacing yourself while you're eating it...now that's another matter altogether.

Ina Garten's Couscous with Toasted Pine Nuts

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:45:00 +0000

I don't know why, but I always thought couscous was tricky to make. I think it had somehow been categorized with quinoa in my head (which isn't really tricky, but takes a long time...and, unfortunately, isn't something Chris likes). But it seemed like the perfect accompaniment to go with my slow cooker lamb shanks, so I opened up my new copy of Ina Garten's How Easy Is That? (which, by the way, I really like) and checked out her recipe for couscous with toasted pine nuts.

The recipe I used is basically this one, but uses yellow onion rather than shallots (2 cups - roughly two small onions, and the proportions don't need to be perfect, of course); leaves out the currants; and uses quite a bit more parsley (1/2 cup).

Ina, in her oh-so-encouraging-way, tells her readers, "If you can boil a pot of water, you can make couscous." Having botched many "easy" recipes over the years, I was skeptical - but now that I've made this one, I have to admit - it really is easy. And fast. And delicious. I've made it twice already this year, and have a third on the schedule for this week. Thanks, Ina!

Chef Nisa Burns Coming to Austin - and a giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 04:48:00 +0000

The folks over at PR By the Book contacted me recently to let me know that Chef Nisa Burns is headed to Austin as part of her book tour for her first cookbook, Kitchenability 101: The College Student’s Guide to Easy, Healthy and Delicious Food. I was not familiar with Nisa or her cookbook previously, and I am a year or two (or, okay, twenty) from being a college student...but I was excited to check out a copy of Kitchenability 101 anyway. I mean, who doesn't need some more "easy, healthy & delicious" recipes?

After having flipped through a copy (courtesy of PR by the Book), I'd say Kitchenability 101 lives up to its name. It's full of super easy recipes perfect for a college student needing to feed himself or herself for the first time. And in keeping with these technological times, the book contains lots of QR codes that link to online demonstration videos - very cool!

Nisa is going to be making several appearances while she's here in town:

• On Wednesday, January 16th from 7:30 - 8:30, Nisa will be at CYC Fitness doing a free talk and cooking demo with Claire Siegel of TheSlenderStudent.com.

• At 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 19th, Nisa will be doing a cooking demo and book signing at the SFC Sunset Valley Farmer's Market.

• From 5 - 7:30 p.m. on Saturday the 19th, Nisa will be teaching a class on cooking in a small kitchen on a small budget at the Central Market Cooking School. You can enter to win a spot in this class using the Rafflecopter widget below...but hurry, the drawing takes place Wednesday at noon!

Can't make any of these events or want to check out a copy of Kitchenability 101? PR By the Book graciously gave me two copies of Kitchenability 101 to give away to Foodie is the New Forty readers. To enter, just leave a comment on this post no later than Saturday, January 19th at noon (make sure you include a way to reach you if you win!). I'll use Random.org to draw a winner sometime Saturday. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Slow Cooker Rosemary Lamb Shanks

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:45:00 +0000

Having some time off over the holidays meant that I had rare time and energy to do some cooking that involved more than me scrambling around the kitchen madly throwing stuff in pans, hoping fervently that I would finish before I either (a) passed out from hunger; or (b) had to be somewhere with dish in hand. It was chilly outside, we were having a friend over for dinner, and had a rare day with nowhere to be, so I was inspired to try my hand at slow cooking some lamb shanks.

I used this recipe as a base, but it wasn't made for a slow cooker, so I sort of winged it. Happily, I was very pleased with the results.

Slow Cooker Rosemary Lamb Shanks

Ingredients
4-6 lamb shanks (The ones at our market were HUGE - about 1.5 lbs each - so four was the most I could fit in our slow cooker)
2 T olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
15 cloves garlic, minced
1 10-oz package baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 c red wine (I used cabernet sauvignon)
2 10.5-oz cans beef broth
4-5 stalks fresh rosemary
2 t chopped fresh thyme

Directions
1. Spread onions, garlic and mushrooms over the bottom of your slow cooker.

2. Add olive oil to heavy pan and heat. Working in batches, brown the lamb shanks on all sides. Transfer shanks to slow cooker.

3. Pour red wine and beef broth over the top of the shanks. Add rosemary and thyme. It should look about like this:

4. Cook on the High setting for 5.5 hours.

5. The juices are delicious but very runny when you are done, so if you like, you can pour the liquid into a pan and reduce it to make more of a gravy consistency. I'm not a huge gravy person, so I skipped this step.

The meat will be falling off the bone. I served it with couscous I made using an Ina Garten recipe from a cookbook my awesome sister-in-law recommended (I'll blog about this separately). It turned out pretty delicious, if I do say so myself. And it was so easy. I'm usually scrambling around at the last second finishing things up when we have people over for dinner; this time, I was calm, the kitchen was clean, and all I had to do was dish up the goods.

Definitely a keeper recipe. I plan to carve out a day to make this at least one more time before it's 100 degrees here again.

Ramen Tatsu-ya

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I'm reluctant to do anything to add to the throngs of people already waiting outside Ramen Tatsu-Ya, but I'm so dang excited about this place that I just have to blog about it. Finally, excellent ramen in Austin!

We wanted to try a little of everything during our first visit, so ordered quite a few dishes. Here's a little tour of what we tasted:

#1 Tonkatsu Original

The #1 Tonkatsu Original ($8.50), a masterpiece that made me go all wide-eyed and swoony. Seriously, it's been a while since a dish stopped me in my tracks the way this ramen did; the broth is so amazingly smooth that I actually thought there might be cream in it. So much so that I actually asked our server whether it did - nope, it's just that 60 hours of marrow leaching out into the broth that gives it that silky texture. Ohhh, baby. Like buttah.

#3 Miso-Not

The #3 Miso-Not ($9) - a lovely, flavorful bowl that standing alone would probably have been delightful, but to my palate, this was the ugly stepchild compared to the Tonkatsu Original.

Chashu Bowl

Chashu Bowl - again, I wasn't as excited about this when I had the Tonkatsu Original in front of me, but we couldn't finish it and took it home. The next day when this was all I had in front of me, I thought it was fantastic.

Katsu Slider

Katsu Slider - nicely crispy, but ehhhh...I'll probably skip this next time.

Almond Tofu

Almond tofu with ginger lemongrass syrup - a very refreshing, light bite of sweetness that nicely capped off our meal.

* * *

Things you need to know:

• Unless you get there just as they open or later in the evening (9ish), you'll have to wait. They're very efficient about moving people through (and they've adopted the Hopdoddy system where you have seating ready for you as soon as you finish ordering), but I'd budget 45 mn to an hour in line if you're going during normal dinner hours (they are not open for lunch).

• They will not allow you to take the ramen to go. Something about the noodles getting mushy and the broth, um, congealing. Did I mention how smooth it is?

• This is not a place to show up with a large group, or a place where you'd feel comfortable sitting and talking after your meal, since there will be a long line of hungry people waiting for your seat.

• And a tip from my friend Kristin over at Mad Betty - be sure to check out the bathrooms! (Photos at Kristin's blog, here).

* * *

I can't wait to go back - especially now that we're having weather that passes for chilly! See you there.

Pinthouse Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Pizza and beer. Is there a better combination? Okay, so maybe my mom's homemade potstickers and kim chee are a better combination, but that's not always available, so sometimes you have to settle for pizza and beer. For those days, the new(ish) Pinthouse Pizza is there for you.

My first visit to Pinthouse was on a Friday night, after a particularly stressful day. It was LOUD. It was crowded. We had to hover over people for a while before we finally scored spots at the large communal tables that make up the majority of Pinthouse's seating. All of which, oddly enough, was just what I was wanting that night.

Full house.

With over 40 craft beers on the menu (including several house-made offerings), there's a little something for everyone. One of my favorite local beers, Live Oak Hefeweizen, was there. I also tried my first (and definitely not my last) Left Hand Milk Stout here. Delicious.

In the pizza category, we tried a couple of different pies - an Armadillo (olive oil, artisan sausage, ricotta, cilantro, and poblano peppers) and a Cannonball (crumbled sausage, bacon, pepperoni, Canadian bacon).

The Armadillo

Cannonball! (a word that demands to be shouted)

I loved the sausage and the fluffy, mild ricotta on the Armadillo, but wasn't fond of the poblano peppers in this context - I'm usually a poblano fan, but the way these were delivered made them taste too much like green peppers, which I don't love. The Cannonball (!) was surprisingly tasty, and I regretted having written it off as "boring" when I'd heard we were ordering one.

As we were finishing up, my friend asked, "Top five pizzas in Austin?" Unfortunately, probably not - but maybe top ten? I can easily think of five pizzas I like much better (Bola Pizza, East Side Pies, Little Deli, Giovanni's, and Mandola's prosciutto and arugula), but from there the field drops off pretty quickly. That said, the festive atmosphere, the excellent beer selection, and Pinthouse's proximity to our house (also, their great lunch deal - small pizza, your choice of four generously-sized salads, and a drink for $9.50) will likely mean that I'll be back with some regularity, nonetheless.

Road Trippin' (sort of) - Bastrop Brewhouse

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:45:00 +0000

If you've ever had any doubt that Austin's influence is winding its way along the Colorado River into Bastrop, one visit to Bastrop Brewhouse will help you cast that doubt aside. "Eat Local / Drink Local," which may as well be Austin's mantras (not that they're bad mantras, mind you) greet you in huge letters as you walk up to the place...and doesn't it seem so very Austin to put your pup on your logo?

The interior is well-lit and spacious, and there's a substantial patio in case you don't want any windows blocking your view of the river (or in case you have a four-legged friend in tow).

Sadly, I've been in Bastrop on business both times I was here, so I've yet to taste their house-brewed beer - has anyone out there given it a try?

As far as the food goes, both times I was here, I was pleasantly surprised by the skill in execution; a BLT became special with the addition of flavorful aioli, and a chicken sandwich (something I would normally avoid ordering in a restaurant) was executed perfectly, with nary a morsel of dry meat in sight (the generous slathering of pesto didn't hurt).

I raised an eyebrow initially at the fact that I only got five onion rings for the $1.50 upcharge (fries come with it for free), but after eating all five, I was secretly glad that there weren't more on the plate. They are filling.

If you find yourself pining for Austin, but you just can't quite make it that last few miles to the Big City, I definitely recommend that head on over to Bastrop Brewhouse for a little taste of ATX.

Off Topic: Shoal Creek Fields

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Shortly after we first adopted our dog, Mindy, back in 2008, I discovered a very special piece of land near my house. Nearly any time of day, regardless of the weather, you could reliably find people there walking, playing, flying kites, laughing, connecting - and you could also reliably find solitude, too, if that's what you needed.

Mindy and I visited frequently. We made friends there that I still spend time with today. We took lots of photos, including the ones in this post and the one that is used as the header for this blog. And together we developed a love for this magical place, a place where wildflowers grew rampant, where there was enough open space to give the wind (and the dogs) room to play.

Eighty acres of undeveloped land in the middle of a city growing as fast as Austin was bound to meet its demise at some point. Over the years, I'd heard rumors that it would be developed "soon," but the rumors never grew legs - until recently. A few months ago, developers' names started to be bandied about, and there was talk of grocery stores and movie theaters and gas stations. Here. On top of this.

And this.

I'm not naive enough to think that there is anything that can be done to stop the state from developing my beloved land. But I'm hoping you'll consider supporting a group of people that has formed to ensure that any development that does occur here is done sustainably and preserves as much as possible the soul of this beautiful space. If you are on Facebook, you can support this group, called the Bull Creek Road Coalition, by "liking" their Facebook page. There will probably be more ways to help later - please watch the Facebook page for updates. We need to protect as much of this...

...as we possibly can.

Food Photo Friday: Snarky's Moo Bawk Oink

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 13:45:00 +0000

I find it hard to resist the siren song of a banh mi, even when I'm dining somewhere that isn't likely to serve up real banh mi (my screen name is Optimista for a reason). And if it's authentic banh mi you're looking for, you may want to pass on this one from Snarky's Moo Bawk Oink - honestly, this is more like a cheesesteak with an assortment of Asian-esque toppings than anything approaching what you'd find in a Vietnamese restaurant.

That said, it's a pretty tasty sandwich - the meat was tender, the baguette crusty but not too crusty, if you know what I mean, and it went down just fine with an ice cold Topo Chico on yet another unseasonably-warm "fall" day. I didn't have room left over for the s'mores doughnut I was eyeing on Snarky's menu, but here's hoping that I'm able to rally next time.

Pork Banh Mi from Snarky's Moo Bawk Oink ($5.49)

GIVEAWAY! Austin Food & Wine Alliance Wine & Swine!

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 13:28:00 +0000

Bonkers for bacon? Pining for pork belly? If so, you'll go hog wild over the Austin Food & Wine Alliance's 2nd annual Wine & Swine, a pigerrific event being held this Sunday, November 4th, at Pioneer Farms. 18 chefs will each be preparing a whole, locally-raised pig to use in a pork-forward dish for attendees to taste (check out the drool-inducing chef lineup and menu here). In addition to the pork tastings, there will be live music; wine, cocktails and craft brews; farm tours (via hayride!); photo booth fun, and butchery and sausage-making demos - all included in the ticket price of $75 ($95 at the door). The proceeds from this event support the Alliance's culinary grant program.

My friends at the Alliance have very generously shared a pair of tickets to Wine & Swine with me to give away to a lucky reader! You can get up to three entries, one entry for each of the following:

1. Leave a comment below naming your favorite of the chefs participating in Wine & Swine (make sure you include a way to contact you if you win!);

2. Tweet, "Enter to win a pair of tickets to @ATXFoodWineAlly's Wine & Swine from @foodiethenew40: http://bit.ly/UgWVFI". Then let me know in the comments that you've done so (please include your Twitter handle!).

3. "Like" my blog's Facebook page and let me know in the comments here that you've done so.

Entries will close at 7:00 p.m. CST on Thursday, November 1st, and I'll pick the winner that night. May the pork be with you!

Eleven Plates & Wine

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Eleven Plates & Wine has been on my "to try" list for some time, so when they invited us out for a meal as their guests, we jumped at the opportunity. Their space is very pleasant - casual and comfortable, yet lovely, with a large west-facing patio that looks out over the hills.

A small part of Eleven Plates' interior.

Patio at Eleven Plates

View from the patio
We started with cocktails - I selected an Ode to Hemingway ($10) which, according to the menu, contained Bacardi, cucumber, St. Germain, and lime. I was a little confused by the color; when I asked, I was told that it also contained peach bitters. I drank every bit of it, but I think I'll ask them to leave out the bitters next time. My husband's mojito (not pictured; it was attacked too quickly) was perfect - one of the nicest specimens of a mojito we've found in Austin.

I have great difficulty turning down truffle fries...so I didn't. These are listed amongst the side dishes and came in a large cone ($7); we made short work of them. They were scrumptious, tossed with shreds of fresh parmesan and herbs as well as truffle salt.

Brussel sprouts are another thing I find hard to resist. These super rich sprouts ($7) are deep fried to produce a lovely caramelization and tossed with Meyer lemon dressing and aioli. Healthy? No. Tasty? You'd better believe it.
At least you can tell your mom you ate your vegetables...
For my entrée, I ordered the soft shell crab ($21), which is served with roasted heirloom tomatoes, and shaved fennel & arugula salad with a sherry vinaigrette. I don't usually like cooked tomatoes, but these were as perfect as cooked tomatoes come for me; I found myself wishing I could have a whole plate of just those.

At the suggestion of our very helpful server, Michael, my husband ordered the diver scallops with grilled corn, Spanish chorizo, corn nut dust, and citrus aioli. Oh my, this dish was divine. The chorizo was fried crispy, bringing a nice texture and flavor counterpoint to the lusciously tender scallops.

We finished off our meal with a sweet corn panna cotta with brown butter sorbet, which was served over a sauce made with apples. I don't like overly-sweet desserts, so I'm always on the lookout for ones that use ingredients that are most often used in savory applications, like corn. I must say, this was one of the most successful examples of corn desserts I've had. The flavors and textures were just right, and that brown butter sorbet - oh!

After our meal, their Executive Chef, Chef Joe Anguiano, was gracious enough to come visit with us for quite a while. Chef Anguiano is new to Eleven Plates as of about six months ago, and he is a great addition to their kitchen. I loved to hear that he is passionate about sustainable, local sourcing, and his enthusiasm for bringing his culinary viewpoint to Austin was infectious.
Eleven Plates is open for lunch and dinner daily (except for Saturdays, when they are dinner-only), and offer a social hour with $5 select small plates and $3 off wines by the glass on Mon-Fri from 3-6p and all day Sunday at the bar. They also do monthly wine dinners - three courses paired with wine for $45 - and they're currently participating in Austin Restaurant Week, where you can get three courses for $37. I definitely recommend that you check them out - I know I'll be back soon.
Eleven Plates & Wine 3801 N. Capital of Texas Hwy, Suite C-200 Austin, TX 78746 (512) 328-0110

Food Photo Friday - Café Blue

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:45:00 +0000

Hey look, it's time for Food Photo Friday and THERE IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING HERE.

Sorry, dear readers; it seems that every year around this time, the heat saps all my creative energy and I'm destined to stare blankly at the empty screen in front of me, willing the letters to pour forth from my fingers. In stark contrast, my love of eating never wanes, so here you have a couple of fresh new photos from a recent visit to Café Blue in the Hill Country Galleria.

This may not be the best photo specimen that ever graced the internet, but the calamari that it depicts was a standout for this calamari-lover. The breading was light, not greasy, and replete with sesame seeds and crushed red pepper flakes, giving each bite a lovely flavor and crunch.

Calamari appetizer ($11)
I thought my blue crab cake caesar was slightly less successful, but that's not to say that it was bad. The salad was generously sized and nicely dressed, although I thought that two or three really small crab cakes might be psychologically more pleasing than the singleton I received, perched all lonely-like atop Mount Romaine.

Crab Cake Caesar Salad ($14).
Café Blue has a HUGE space and - sadly - there was nearly nobody in it the day I was out there. I vote we all converge on the place and buy out all their calamari. Who's with me?

Café Blue
Hill Country Galleria (there is also a second location at Sandy Creek Marina)
12921 Hill Country Blvd, Suite D2-120
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512)366.5230
Their Website

Pan-fried Squash Fritters

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:30:00 +0000

In my eternal quest to turn our healthy CSA bounty into something less healthy, I set out to make some squash fritters recently with some Magda squash and Benning's patty pan squash we got from our fabulous CSA farm, Tecolote.

I used this recipe as a base, but since I had no idea how large the original recipe author's squash were, I sort of winged it on the proportions. I just love a forgiving recipe, don't you?

I started with this much squash:

Shredded it up in my brand new food processor (yay!), along with a small spring onion, also from Tecolote:

Added in two eggs, a cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and a whole cup of flour. The recipe calls for only 1/4 c of flour and suggests that the batter will be "almost a dry mix" at this point. But even after a full cup of flour, it wasn't even close to being dry. So I did what most home cooks would do; I cheerfully ignored the recipe and started frying flattened spoonfuls in a skillet with a little peanut oil.

It worked.

If When I make these again, I'll probably try draining the squash or squeezing it out with paper towels before mixing in the other ingredients to see if I can dry out the batter a bit. I liked them as they were, though - ever so slightly crunchy on the outside, but soft and squash-y (that's "squash-y," not squishy) on the inside. My friend Jackie described them as being sort of like squash crepes, which I think is a good description.

You can top these with all manner of condiments depending on your tastes - a little sour cream or creme fraiche and a light sprinkle of sea salt is wonderful, or you can even eat them with a few drops of soy sauce and Asian hot oil to mimic a potsticker flavor. They make for a nice, light summer meal, or could be served as a side dish.

Mission un-healthify squash, complete.

Fresh Coconut Paletas

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:00:00 +0000

As anyone who follows my Pinterest boards has probably guessed, I'm a little bit obsessed with homemade frozen treats right now. My friend/neighbor/food co-conspirator, Jackie, got a popsicle mold a while back, and has been sharing her delicious creations with us. After devouring a particularly memorable horchata pop, I broke down and bought my own mold.

The beauty about making paletas (or popsicles, whatever) is that you can completely fly by the seat of your pants while making them. Get as creative as you want. Throw a little of whatever sounds good in the blender, taste it, doctor it to your heart's content. In other words, my kind of food creating.

For my first batch of paletas, I cracked open a couple of fresh, young coconuts (I was intimidated by how this was going to work, but this post made it a cinch). I used almost all the juice of both coconuts and the meat of one of them (because I couldn't resist eating the other). I also tossed in maybe 3/4 c shredded coconut from a bag and about 2 tablespoons of honey. Again, the beauty of these is that you can really adjust the ingredients to taste, and recipes are difficult anyway, since popsicle molds come in so many different sizes. I knew my molds held a total of 25 oz of liquid and my blender has hatch marks for ounces on the side, so that helped me eyeball how much liquid I needed to end up with. I blended everything together, poured the concoction in my molds, and waited.

I was delighted with the way the finished product came out. Like eating a fresh coconut, only with a lovely crunchy, icy, refreshing texture.

I'll definitely be making these again.

Food Photo Friday: Baked Eggs for Brunch

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:24:00 +0000

It's Friday! Which means that those delightful brunch days of the week are upon us. I finally made it to Contigo for brunch last weekend, and I'm so glad I did; the baked eggs that I ordered catapulted Contigo to my short list of favorite brunch spots after one bite. Beautiful golden eggs, spicy arugula, roast-y brussel sprouts...both delicious AND low-carb - unless, of course, you order one of their amazing housemade buttermilk biscuits to go with it. Or a bloody Mary. Hey, it's the weekend, after all.

Un-Pho-Gettable: Best Vietnamese Food in Austin

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:25:00 +0000

My third and final post for the Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide is on Vietnamese food. I'll be honest; I did not grow up eating Vietnamese food and am not really sure I'm qualified to write this post, but I've eaten a whole lot of it since I moved to Austin, so I can tell you what I like.

Pho
When it's cold out or I'm getting sick, few things make me feel better than a big bowl of pho. Thin rice noodles swimming in warm broth that you flavor yourself with the fixings they bring you (basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, and lime are the accompaniments I've commonly seen) has a way of warming your soul.

A version from Pho Thaison

While I've had a fair number of bowls of pho, they've been few and far between enough that I didn't have very developed opinions about where to find the best. So I turned to my delight-pho friend Linda from Girl Eats World and asked her to weigh in on her pho-vorites. Here's what she said:

"I judge a good bowl of pho by the texture of noodles, the clarity and flavor of the broth, and most importantly, how tender the meat is. (I’m partial to brisket.) These places pass on all three of these metrics. Since its opening, Pho Dan (previously named Pho Danh) has been my favorite place for pho and spring rolls. They have the best spring rolls I’ve had and are the closest thing to my mom’s spring rolls I’ve managed to find in Austin. Other notable places for pho are Pho Saigon, which is a hop and skip away from Pho Dan, and the new PhoNatics. PhoNatics has big portions and I recommend the Banh Mi Sliders. Pho ThaiSon also delivers when it comes to perfect bowls of pho and they do it in such a darling space. If you are in town for SXSW and find yourself out late into the night, might I suggest you indulge in a bowl of pho the next day? They’re the perfect antidote to a late night out on Sixth St."

Thanks, Linda! I've yet to visit two of these spots, and they are now high on my list.

Bun (Vermicelli)
Although it probably violates some sort of Asian code, I always think of bun (a/k/a vermicelli) as the soup-less version of pho. The versions I've had have typically been layered - a hidden mound of lettuce (usually shredded iceberg) is covered by a pile of rice noodles, which in turn is topped with your choice of protein and often garnished with chopped peanuts and cilantro. It's also usually accompanied by a side of fish sauce.

Vermicelli from YaYa's Cafe

My favorite spots in town for vermicelli are currently YaYa's Cafe and Shaved Ice (full blog post here) and - I know this will probably be controversial - my nostalgic favorite, Kim Phung. Kim Phung was the first place I ever ate vermicelli (around nineteen years ago, now!), and as a graduate student, it was a rare treat to splurge on their delicious shrimp, garlic, hot pepper vermicelli (which cost less than $6 back then). I'm also fond of Kim Phung's combination spring rolls, and sometimes make a meal out of an order of those.

Kim Phung's spring rolls

Banh Mi
It's too bad I never discovered banh mi while in graduate school, because these tasty Vietnamese sandwiches are the ultimate way to fill up on the cheap. My favorites are at Thanh Nhi, where the large banh mi will set you back a mere $3.50. I'm pretty sure that's less than it would cost me to make these at home! Baguette House and Tam Deli also have excellent versions. Unfortunately for those of you who live in the southern parts of Austin, all three of these spots are pretty far north - but you can get a banh mi fix closer to home at YaYa's, LuLu B's, Elizabeth Street Café, or T&N Café.

Banh mi at Thanh Nhi. Say that five times fast.

Family Style
Although pho, bun and banh mi seem to have made it into mainstream eating, family-style meals still seem to be an unjustifiably rare way to enjoy Vietnamese food. The best places for this in Austin are, hands down, Le Soleil and Sunflower. These two competing restaurants are owned by former spouses who divorced; she kept Sunflower, he moved up the road and opened Le Soleil. Both have very similar menus, but Le Soleil's is somewhat expanded. I have a slight preference for Le Soleil because they have a larger space (which means it tends to be less crowded/claustrophobic), but both deliver solid food on a consistent basis. And it is worthy of note that Sunflower garnered top honors in the Vietnamese category of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance restaurant poll. At both places, I love the sizzling seafood platter, the shaken beef, the green beans with tofu, and the sea bass (either preparation).

Sizzling seafood platter at Le Soleil

Did I miss your favorite Vietnamese place? Leave me a comment!

Lettuce Eat: Salads in Austin

noreply@blogger.com (Optimista) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Feeling a little roughage around the edges from all that heavy food you've been eating? Then my second post for this year's Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide should provide you with some re-leaf. Yes, it's a tribute to the best salads in Austin.

I'll admit it: in general, a plate with a few feathery green things typically leads to me snacking later in a bad way, so I favor salads with a bit of substance to them. Here are a few of my favorite spots to get my greens (plus) on:

Leaf - all salads all the time, and they do them well. Their Abbi's Asian chicken salad is the only salad I've ever met that I'm consistently unable to finish in a single sitting. Leaf's ingredients always taste super fresh, and in addition to their pre-conceived salad offerings, they've got a build-your-own option so you can get yours just the way you want it. Leaf also took top honors in the salad category in a restaurant poll of Austin Food Blogger Alliance members, so you know it's gotta be good!

Abbi's Asian Chicken Salad at Leaf.

Zax - on my short list for excellent salads; their shrimp remoulade salad is just the right size and always makes me feel a little better about my health afterwards. If I'm feeling more indulgent (much more indulgent), their steak salad is also a winner in the taste category, although I'm less sure about its caloric minimalism.

Shrimp remoulade salad at Zax

I'm similarly suspicious about the calorie profile of the Interior Mexican Grilled Chicken Salad at Corazon, particularly since it's served with a couple of blue corn empanadas that have most definitely taken a bath in the deep fryer. But oh, man. It's totally worth every bite.

Suspiciously delicious salad at Corazon

Finally, they'll cook the salmon just the way you want it for the Miso-Hi Salmon Salad at The Grove. Yes, those are panko-crusted onion rings on there. Maybe they shouldn't have let me write this category...

Busted!

Some of my other very favorite salads in Austin include the Greek salad at Milto's (add tender grilled chicken for just $1; the dressing is excellent and the rolls they serve with it are perfection); the grilled salmon salad at Café Josie; the hacked chicken salad at Hangtown Grill; the maytag blueberry salad at Chez Zee (best with pecan chicken on top, but then it becomes awfully $$$); the smoked salmon and shrimp cake salad at East Side Café; and - I'll admit it - the cilantro lime shrimp salad at Nordstrom's Cafe Bistro.

Other top salad picks in the Austin Food Blogger Alliance poll included Alamo Drafthouse, Fogo de Chao (which I really think ought to be renamed Fogo de Chow); and Blue Dahlia Bistro.

Where's your favorite salad in town?